The roller coaster of temperatures continues to chug along, with another "dip" coming our way. After reaching up to mild mid 70s today, a cold front will move through the region this evening with a blustery, chilly breeze for Central Texas. It'll feel more like winter than fall for many come tomorrow as temperatures run at least half a dozen degrees coler than normal, and it could mean a light freeze for some by Thanksgiving morning before comfort returns.
Metro Austin high a high of 69 at 3:43 p.m. yesterday. Now:
Today's forecast highs put us well above Austin's normal 69:
Breezy southwest winds will help us warm up really quickly today. The fast-moving cold front will race across the Lone Star State, probably arriving here in Central TX around or shortly after sunset with a northerly breeze in tow. Sustained winds near 15 - 25 mph could also come with gusts around 30 - 40 mph. Latest report:
There might also be a few, brief showers developing ahead of the front. Futurecast shows very spotty rain (and/or maybe drizzle) between Austin and Houston. Any accumulations here would be light, with heavier readings expected further southeast of the CapCity towards the Gulf Coast. Here's what our in-house model says:
Plan for a definite wind chill factor -- likely in the 30s -- as we wake up tomorrow, followed by a cooler-than-normal afternoon with low 60s at the warmest. As winds die down even more, temps will plunge into widespread 30s Wednesday night through Thursday morning and could include a light freeze to start our Thanksgiving day, especially in rural areas and across the Hill Country. Fortunately, it looks like a comfy afternoon with highs in the low 70s. We'll enjoy plenty of sunshine Friday through the weekend with temps nosing back up near 80 at the warmest Saturday. A very weak, dry cold front could arrive Saturday night, shaving off a few degrees for Sunday by comparison. Looks like next week will start on a warmer-than-normal note. See the 7 Day Forecast for more.
Enjoy the weather!
--Chief Meteorologist Burton Fitzsimmons (@Burton_Spectrum)